Whether you’re running a single business or managing dozens of them, you’ve likely struggled with the amount of content you need to stay visible on social media platforms. And with the constantly changing algorithms, it’s easy to feel like you’re always behind the curve. Services like Buffer are vital for staying ahead of competitors.
Scheduling Posts
Some of the benefits here are more obvious than others. Setting up all your Facebook posts for that week or month frees you up for other tasks. It also allows you to be consistent -- a favorite characteristic among consumers (our client, Alicia Pacific at https://aliciapacvet.com/, uses Buffer for her social media program). You can ensure that content is always posted at your users’ peak time on every platform as well. With all posts scheduled at once, you get a better idea of whether you’re lacking variety in a specific area, such as video content or informational links.
Precision Market Testing
According to some of the most successful marketing giants around, market testing is what you should be focusing on most of the time. After all, each niche and target population are unique. What works for one business could be a complete misfire for another. If you want to know how a funny Instagram post performs, start making a dozen of those memes now. With Buffer, you can schedule similar posts for different weekday and time combinations to get the most accurate information. Maybe your audience loves laughing at 10am after they’ve been at work for a little while. Perhaps the need a good chuckle Sunday evenings to prepare them for the week ahead. Go forth and experiment!
Analytics
Going hand-in-hand with the last point, Buffer’s analytics provides you with concrete answers to your content tests. It’s important to know what metrics are most valuable here, though. Reach could be sufficient for some companies, while others may prioritize click-throughs or similar actions. You can sort the most popular content by each of these metrics to nail down what works and what doesn’t.
Cross-Posting
Your social media accounts should create synergy, not be islands in a sea of information. Buffer allows you to post the same image -- with a different caption -- to multiple social media platforms. Why not throw in a comment about following you on Facebook in your Instagram post? This strategy helps you make sure you’re as visible as possible to your customer base. The more they see you, the better they’ll convert later on.
Management Flexibility
Having all your social media posting consolidated in one place allows a high level of flexibility. It allows for batch post-approval by brand supervisors and a seamless transition between account managers. This is critical for anyone who uses a VA or similar service to curate their content. Someone familiar with the company’s brand should always have final say on the public-facing posts. There are plenty of social media managing tools out there these days. Draw up a list of your top requirements, such as the number of accounts to be serviced, types of platforms used and key aspects of your content. Buffer allows for a high volume of accounts as well as bulk posting across them, but your mileage may vary. There are new options popping up every day!